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Dealing With Rejection – A Change in Perspective

I was just fired by my first editor/publisher for a book I am working on!

She explained it like this:

“You are no Seth Godin!”

Ouch. We had been working together for over a week!

Now I could just quit and sulk over my misfortune but that would not be beneficial. Instead, I have decided to turn this rejection into a challenge.Why not? I have heard other stories of successful authors who were rejected many times before finally being published.

I think many business owners can relate to this type of rejection. If we were discouraged and gave up every time someone said we couldn’t do something, we would never get anywhere.

This is not my first time turning a rejection into a motivator. Back when I worked for a national accounting firm I was being considered for partnership, and I had to go to the ‘assessment centre’ in Toronto. Guess what? I failed the assessment for partnership.

They not only recommended I not become a partner, they suggested I reconsider my future in public accounting all together!

It was a really big Ouch for me.

Well, ten years later, I framed that rejection letter and put in on the wall of the commercial building I had just purchased. The interesting thing is that I purchased the building from the same accounting firm that rejected me. I had started my own firm after being rejected and had outgrown our original office space.

In some ways, it was a blessing in disguise. I should thank them now.

I am going to frame this rejection letter from this editor/publisher and place it on the wall above my desk and use it as an inspiration.

In summary, getting fired can be a good thing, it just depends on how you look at it.